Corio is a residential and industrial area, which forms one of the largest suburbs of Geelong, Victoria in Australia. It is located approximately 9 km north of the Geelong central business district. The area was formerly known as Cowie's Creek after James Cowie, an early land owner who was active in the local and state government.[2]

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Explorers Hume and Hovell reached Corio and reported that the local Aborigines referred to the area as 'coraiyo', loosely meaning 'small marsupial' or 'sandy cliffs'.

The land was first subdivided and sold in 1852 as "Cowie's Creek". By the 1860s, Cowie's Creek was home to two hotels and a population of approximately 500 people.

A post office opened on November 16, 1864, and was renamed as Corio Post Office in 1913. It was situated on School Road, adjacent to a railway level crossing. In 1963, it was again renamed Corio "North" Post Office when the contemporary Corio Post Office inside of the Corio Shopping Centre was opened. This is now located on the ground floor, having moved from its original first floor location. Corio North Post Office was closed in 1977.[3]

The Corio Athletic Club, founded in 1969, competes at Landy Field in South Geelong and the Corio Little Athletics Club, founded in 1967, competes at the Corio Athletics Stadium in Goldsworthy Road, which was opened in 1972 by Ron Clarke.

Corio is a "Working class" suburb, adjacent to and incorporating industrial estates - with 21.3% of its employed residents of age 15 years and over nominating 'Labourer' as their chosen occupation (compared to 10.5% in the whole of Australia). Numbers occupied as Technicians, Trades Workers, Machinery Operators, and Drivers are also higher than the national average. According to the 2006 census, the largest employer type was "Motor Vehicle" and "Motor Vehicle Part Manufacturing". As such, the planned 2016 closure of the Ford plant, a long-term employer, will reduce employment opportunities in the future.[5] In 2013, 2.3% of mortgages in Corio had become delinquent, up from 1.5% in September 2012, and is amongst the highest numbers of all suburbs in Victoria. Reports have attributed this rate to job cuts at Alcoa, Ford, and Target that year.[6] Historically speaking, Ford Motor Company[7] had its plant in full production by August 1926, producing 36,000 T-models over the next two years of work. During World War II, Ford manufactured military vehicles and all manner of craft & weaponry. It then concentrated its post-war goals on engine manufacturing for the Ford Falcon model (produced at Broadmeadows).

Also according to the 2006 census,[8] 5,969 residents age 15 years and over were employed: 52.7% were employed full-time, 28.6% part-time, 3.6% were employed but away from work, 3.4% were employed but did not state the number of hours worked; and 11.7% were fully unemployed. There were 4,877 local residents age 15 years and over who were not in the labour force.

The Corio median price for housing, given in The Age Domain Property review of September 2012,[9] was $223,000; among the most affordable in the state - more costly than neighbouring Norlane at $205,000, but lower than Melton South at $240,000.

^"Around 510 employees in Geelong will lose their jobs in 2016 when Ford ditches its hulking manufacturing base in the city, where it has had a presence since 1925". Oliver Milman "Geelong after Ford: a temporary identity crisis or terminal decline? Reeling from successive blows to its blue-collar heritage Victoria's second city faces an uncertain future" in 'The Guardian', Monday 24 June 2013 http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/jun/24/geelong-manufacturing-sector-australia

^"A Geelong-based financial counsellor with Diversitat, Rene Ploegmakers, said job cuts at Alcoa, Ford and Target in the past 12 months were putting many borrowers in the region at risk. He said retrenched workers who managed to land new jobs were often put on casual contracts with lower pay. ''They obviously then struggle to meet whatever financial commitments they had,'' he said." [from Nick Toscano. "Low rates fail to stem home repossessions" The Age October 7, 2013] http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/low-rates-fail-to-stem-home-repossessions-20131006-2v2bx.html#ixzz2gzmBGtH4